Gonna fight'em all
by HenryVIII
Summary: Actually I wanted to submit this as a Crossover, but 'Pokémon' wasn't at choice :D Steve Rogers, a young trainer from Pallet Town is ready for his journey. He wanted to become a Pokémon-master...until he came across HYDRA.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1:**_

_**Here I come: Steve Rogers, new Pokémon-master from Pallet Town**_

It was a quiet day in Viridian City, when Steve Rogers, a young trainer living in the south, entered it. He has waited for so long to fight against Howard Stark, the gym leader of the city. He has trained for so long and finally he would get his chance. Proudly he walked through the streets, until he came to the gym's grounds. Next to the rather big building, there was a landing strip with a private jet on it. Steve took some deep breaths, before he headed to the door of the gym, which opened automatically, as he has come closer. When the battle field's doors opened right after Steve entered the gym, he continued walking straight on. The young trainer wondered, if nobody would bid him welcome, then he recapitulated Wartortle's attacks once more – his secret weapon and strongest Pokémon, if all else failed. Before he could enter the battle field, a girl turned to him and started nagging loudly. The youth didn't know, what was going on, but then the man, who stood at the other side of the hall, said:

'Continue your training and come back. You aren't that bad, so good luck!'

With an angry expression on her face she passed Steve, who looked at the well-dressed man. His black hair showed up some grey hair-parts at the sides of his head. His green-brown eyes shined out from the a bit wrinkled face. He put his hands into his pockets and asked:

'The next one? Here we go! This is going to be a three-on-three, choose your Pokémon. And choose it wisely.'

'Right now, sir?', Steve asked back.

'What should we wait for?'

There was his chance. Steve looked down to his belt and thought about his first choice.

'Alright!', he then shouted, took a Pokéball and threw it, 'Do your best, Sandshrew!'

'Your turn, Cloyster', Stark said calmly, without thinking too long about his choice.

Both Pokémon appeared at their sides of the field and waited for their trainers' orders.

'Sandshrew, use Scratch!', Steve ordered loudly, whereupon Sandshrew ran over to Cloyster on its short legs and raised its arms.

'Cloyster, Protect', Stark replied.

Cloyster hid in its shell and let Sandshrew scratch over it in a high speed. Noticing Sandshrew just lost power and Cloyster waited patiently, unsettled Steve's Pokémon until it stopped. Sandshrew looked over to Steve, who still thought about a new strategy, when Stark shouted:

'Spike Cannon!'

Cloyster opened the shell again, jumped up a bit and spread out spikes in the direction of Sandshrew. Shocked Steve widened his eyes and meant:

'Use Sand-attack, Sandshrew, and try to hide!'

'Are you sure about that?', Howard asked, when he observed Sandshrew jumping back into a billow of dust, 'Once more Spike Cannon, Cloyster. Decorate our gym a bit. The battle field looks so empty.'

Stark's Pokémon suddenly started to spin and spread the spikes all over the field.

'NO!', he shouted and tried to detect his Pokémon, which was still hiding in the dust.

As the dust died away, Steve saw his Sandshrew lying on the ground, defeated and powerless. So he called it back and looked at Cloyster, which turned to its trainer jumping up and down, because it was glad, it won. Shortly Stark smiled, then he looked at his opponent and meant:

'Next one, please. Or do you want to quit already?'

'Never!', Steve replied and threw the next Pokéball, 'It's your turn, Bellsprout!'

'Ha! At least your Pokémon are entertaining', Howard laughed, when he saw Bellsprout wobbling around.

'Don't underestimate it!', Steve answered and grinned confidently.

'Concentration, Cloyster. Kick it out with Spike Cannon', Stark ordered, whereupon Cloyster turned to its enemy and used the ordered attack.

No matter how hard it tried to hit Bellsprout, its physical conditions and its wobbling around made it impossible. Stark's expression became darker, whereas Steve started to laugh shortly.

'Not such a bad decision to use Bellsprout, but nevertheless...Cloyster, use Surf', the gym-leader said.

Cloyster concentrated for a short moment, until a wave of water appeared under its body.

'I red many books, Mister Stark, you know? I learned, that water-attacks aren't really effective against-', Steve explained, but stopped, when he saw the wave getting bigger and bigger.

'Reading books doesn't teach you how to fight, son...', he heard Stark say, before Bellsprout disappeared in the huge wave, which stopped close to Steve.

After the water seeped away, Bellsprout lay on the ground just like Sandshrew has. Angrily Steve called it back and took his last Pokéball. Wartortle could handle this. Water against water. There would be no problem! Just in the moment, when Steve wanted to throw his Pokéball, a little boy ran to Howard and screamed:

'LOOK! Jigglypuff learned another attack!'

Stark looked down to the boy and answered:

'What are you doing in here? I said, I'm busy. Get out!'

'But let me show you this!'

'Get out!'  
The boy fluffed his cheeks.

'Is this the new attack?', Howard meant, 'Jigglypuff taught you how to look like it? Well-done, Jigglypuff.'

'C'mon, I'd like to-'

'I've said: GET OUT!', Stark became angry.

'Uhm...', Steve replied and watched them.

Suddenly the sound of an opening Pokéball was to hear and Jigglypuff appeared next to the boy. When it recognized the boy's sad face, it started to sing.

'NO! Call it back!', Howard shouted and put his hands over his ears, so Steve did.

Cloyster closed the shell and started snoring, whereas the boy's eyelids became heavier as well and he wobbled around until Stark caught him, before he fell to the floor.

'I apologize...let's continue the fight later', the man said and carried out the sleeping boy, followed by Jigglypuff.

On the other side of the hall, Steve heard Stark, entering the corridor, say:

'Maria, can't you watch over your own child? I said, I don't want him to enter the gym!'

Sighing Steve left the gym and headed to the Pokémon-centre. After Nurse Joy cared about his hurt Pokémon, Steve sat down at a dining-table, where the girl he met in the gym waited for her Pokémon.

'Hey', Steve meant and smiled.

'Hey', she answered gruffly.

'I'm Steve Rogers, I come from Pallet Town.'

'Pallet Town? Oh, right. That town in the south, where not a single good trainer has been come from, yet.'

'I might be the first', Steve countered and smiled again.

The girl looked at him, rolled her eyes and stood up, walked to Nurse Joy and left the Pokémon-centre. When Steve's Pokémon finally were okay again, he left the Pokémon-centre, too, and looked for a good place for training his team, before he would take another try in the gym. Secluded from the city nearby the forest Steve found the girl again, which fought against a wild Mankey. She made orders to her Pokémon, that react quickly. It was a Bulbasaur. Steve observed her moving, while making orders to her Pokémon. Her brown, thick hair shined in the setting sun.

'Catch it, Pokéball!', she shouted, when Bulbasaur hit Mankey hardly.

They watched the ball moving for a few seconds, until it stopped and disappeared.

'You seem to be a quite good trainer', Steve meant and walked over to her.

Shocked she turned around and answered:

'Are you stalking me?'

'I'm sorry. I didn't want you to thi-'

'You have been the second challenger today, haven't you? Did you win?'

Rogers lowered his head and told her, he didn't even defeat one single of Howard's Pokémon.

'You haven't even seen Alakazam? Lousy performance', she laughed ironically.

'Alakazam?'

'By the way, I'm Peggy. It's nice, that you ask, thank you. Yes, Alakazam. It's his strongest Pokémon...Many trainers despair of it.'

Immediately Steve took out his Pokédex, but Peggy added:

'Don't even try. If it hasn't scanned the Pokémon, it can't give you any information.'

Confused Steve look at her again and put away the Pokédex.

'It's...unbelievable strong. So well-trained, you wouldn't believe it, even if you saw it. Its telekinetic powers make it almost invincible. What do you think, why he is called the Invincible Stark?'

'I didn't know tha-'

'Of course you didn't, because you are badly prepared', she guessed.

'I'm a good trainer. Don't try to tell me, I'm not. I'm going to be the best trainer.'

Suddenly Peggy started laughing loudly.

'I think even Stark's son is better than you, even if his Pokémon don't obey him any time.'

'Well, and you are the best trainer in the locality?', Steve replied, slowly getting angry.

'Sure I'm not. I didn't defeat him, either. But at least I made it through round one and two', Peggy answered and grinned naughtily.

'Your Bulbasaur hasn't even evolved, yet, so...', Steve then meant and looked down.

'It isn't my first Pokémon, you know? Well, if you want me to show you how to train more effective...', she started suggesting, but Steve interrupted her.

'I can do this on my own, thank you.'

He stamped away and nagged mentally about her conceitedness. After a few hours of training his way, Steve came back to Viridian City's Pokémon-centre. At the reception Howard Stark accepted Cloyster from Joy. The little boy stood next to him and waited impatiently.

'Let's go now, I still want to show you Jigglypuff's new attack!', he screamed.

'Anthony, I had enough vocals today', Howard answered and headed to the door, 'Oh, look who's there.'

Steve smiled, whereupon Stark took a look at his watch and meant:

'See you tomorrow for your second chance.'

'Who is that, dad?', the boy asked and looked up to Steve with his dark-brown, big eyes.

'A trainer from Pallet Town, Tony. He's going to defeat me tomorrow', Howard explained and left the centre.

Stunned Steve stared into the distance. This man knew, where he came from, but why? Did he know his name, too? And the most important question was: Did he know about all of his Pokémon and strategies?

'I thought nobody could defeat you!', the young trainer heard the boy say, before the door closed again.

When Rogers turned to the door, he watched them through the glass-door. Jigglypuff came out of its Pokéball, Howard started nagging and the boy tried to call it back. But the Pokémon jumped from the beam again and again, until Howard took the ball and called it back. Annoyed he gave the ball back to his son and headed home.

'Even worse? I don't think so...', Steve talked to himself, looking at his belt and the Pokéballs, where his Pokémon rested in.

The next day Rogers entered the gym again, feeling confident to win. When he came into the battle area, the boy stood at the challengers' side, Howard on the other. Jigglypuff stumbled towards a Metapod.

'Jigglypuff, this hitting thing...I mean, use Pound!', Tony shouted.

Jigglypuff nearly fell down by stumbling, but then it hit Metapod, which didn't even make a small move.

'I told you it can't defeat it', Howard remarked.

The boy snarled and repeated:

'Use Pound again!'

'Metapod, Harden again. Let it hit you, until it lost stamina completely.'

Steve observed the pink Pokémon hitting its enemy, who stood there like a stone, not moving at all, not getting hurt. When Jigglypuff fell down and took deep breaths, Howard declared the fight to be over. Just in that moment, Tony let himself fall down on his bottom and lowered his head sadly.

'Ah, Mister Rogers', Stark then said and smiled at Steve, who looked to him and smiled back.  
'This fight has been unfair! I could have won with Harden, too!', the boy yelled and stood up again.

'A Jigglypuff with Harden against a Metapod? I'd love to see that, Anthony. In about one million years, when you know how to train your Pokémon, you could show me', Howard replied and walked over to Steve.

Being upset Tony collected Jigglypuff and carried it out of the gym. His father rubbed his eyes and meant:

'Geez...'

'Is everything alright?'

'Yea, of course. He's just stressing me every day, but don't worry. There are some health problems and my son, which tries to make me totally powerless, but nevertheless I'm able to fight', Stark responded and smiled again, 'Ready to get your thrashing?'

'Could ask the same', Steve meant and grinned back.

'I'm wound up to a high pitch', the gym-leader answered and headed back to his side, 'Choose.'

'It's your turn, Wartortle!', Steve shouted and threw his Pokéball.

He has decided to try it the other way around.

'Show him, who's the best, Dodrio!', Stark replied and called his Flying-Pokémon, 'Use Quick Attack!'

Steve watched the replications and tried to figure out, who was the right one. It didn't work, so he said:

'Wartortle, use Rapid Spin and try to hit every single one of them!'

Wartortle disappeared in its shell and started to spin. It dashed through the Dodrio's, until it finally hit the right one and the others disappeared. The trainer clenched his fists proudly, which Tony observed from outside the window.

'Nice move...', Stark confessed, 'Dodrio, use Fury Attack!'

Steve retreated, when he saw Dodrio hitting Wartortle with a huge speed. Suddenly he remembered his fight against Cloyster and shouted:

'Wartortle, hide in your shell!'

His Pokémon followed his order and waited for a new one, while Dodrio hit the shell again and again without any success.

Howard started to grin and meant:

'You're talented. You learn quickly. Well, I guess this is worthless. Come back.'

Dodrio disappeared in Howard's Pokéball, it has been replaced by Alakazam. Its aura unsettled both Steve and Wartortle, as it came out of the shell again. Blue mist rose from its feet, as a blue light appeared in its eyes.

'Psychic', Howard said monotonously.

Then Wartortle got covered by the blue mist and blasted off the ground. It started to flounder and calling as a sign for Steve to do anything. The trainer growled:

'Use Bubble!'

But before Wartortle could follow the order, Alakazam smashed it against the wall on the other side behind Steve. The Pokémon fell down and didn't move anymore.

'NO!', Rogers shouted and ran over to his Pokémon.

This started to move again and stood up. Hurt and powerless it stumbled back to the field. Howard's face became darker. He looked at Steve, who replied:

'What is it? Are you sleepy!?'

The gym-leader lowered his head, called back Alakazam, turned away and said:

'At this juncture, I won't continue the fight...'

'Hey! Wait!', Steve responded, as he watched him leaving.

_**Chapter 2: **_

_**Family Stark**_

He didn't know, what has been wrong, until he looked at Wartortle, which was wobbly on its legs. Steve called it back and looked at the Pokéball. Then he noticed Tony standing at the window, who immediately cowered, when the trainer turned his head to the boy. A little bit disappointed Steve left the gym and turned the corner to reach the boy.

'Hey', he meant, when Tony was about to run away.

He stopped and looked at the weedy youth.

'Hi, Mister Rogers. Your Pokémon didn't look really good, you should go to the Pokécentre', Tony suggested.

When Steve wanted to answer, a woman came around and meant:

'There you are!'

Tony turned to his mother and nodded. She raised him on her arms, looked at Steve and added:

'You have to be the trainer, my husband was talking about yesterday.'

'I don't know, if he meant me, Ma'am', Steve responded.

'Physically looking weak, blond and a Pokémon-trainer. It has to be you', she told him and smiled.

'Yea, it's him, mom. His Pokémon was pretty good, but when it was almost defeated and he wanted it to fight, dad said no, he wouldn't fight anymore', Tony explained and looked at her with a huge shine in his eyes.

'Of course, Anthony. He would never fight against a Pokémon, that's almost defeated, just because its trainer is too headstrong', she answered and turned to Steve again, 'Wanna come with us to have a meal? You really look a little bit weak.'

Disenchanted about himself Steve nodded and followed them to their mansion. It must have been the biggest one in Viridian City, Steve thought, when they arrived. Inside small Pokémon ran around playing with toys, actually looking like they'd belong to Stark's son. Interested Steve followed a small group of Pikachu to the living-room, where an opened terrace door could be seen. From there Rogers could see even more Pokémon running, training and eating in Stark's huge garden.

'This is incredible...', he brought out, when suddenly Howard entered the room.

'Oh, there he is again...', he said and sat down at the table.

A Mr. Mime helped Maria to carry the food to the table.

'I'm sorry, if I'm disturbing you. I can go, if you want me t-'

'No, just sit down. I'm okay, but what about your Wartortle?', Howard meant, not even looking at his guest.

'I don't know, it's in its Pokéball, since-'

'Let it out', the man interrupted him again.

So Steve let out his hurt Wartortle. Tony ran to his father and asked:

'May I do it!?'

'Do what?', Rogers asked, after Howard nodded and Tony ran out of the room.

Howard just started eating without any response. Then the boy came back and sat down on the floor.

'Come here, Wartortle!'

Slowly the Pokémon walked over to him, Steve watched the event. Carefully Tony sprayed its wounds and meant:

'This just be better now.'

Wartortle's wounds disappeared slowly. The Pokémon seemed to be glad, when it looked at its trainer. Still feeling bad about his own behaviour, Steve smiled with reluctance. Maybe Peggy was right after all and he was an even worse trainer, than Howard's son.

'Don't blame yourself', the host said, 'You are just a shavetail.'

Steve nodded and lowered his head again. As Tony and his mother sat at the table, too, Steve dared to start eating and asked:

'Sir, are all these Pokémon yours?'

'I'm not the youngest anymore. I've got about for a long time and on those long journeys it's not unusual to have such a variety of Pokémon', Stark answered and looked out of the window, 'I'm also a passionate collector, not just a trainer.'

'So am I!', his son shouted, while chewing his food.'

'First, Anthony: Don't speak while there's food in your mouth. Second: What have you got?'

'A Jigglypuff...'

'And?'

'An egg...'

'Can we call this collector?'

'Nooo...', the boy responded and lowered his head.

'You see...', Howard meant and turned to Steve again.

'But I'm going to be!'

'Yea, well...', Howard cleared his throat and continued talking to Steve, 'There are many things you have to learn, yet. Your moves weren't bad, but nevertheless you can't defeat me. Let me give you a piece of advice: Look for other gyms and their leaders, before you try to defeat me. It's less frustrating.'

Hearing this made Steve laugh a bit, whereupon Howard grinned and finished his meal.

'By the way, Anthony: What's your egg doing?'

'It's not even moving...', the boy answered to his father disappointed.

'Geez...You're the worst trainer I've ever seen...'

'HOWARD! He's freaking six years old, so shut up now!', Maria suddenly shouted, after Tony has lowered his head even more.

'Calm down', Howard laughed and stood up, 'Come with me, Rogers.'

Steve changed glances between them, then he stood up and followed Howard to the garden.

'I don't want to be rude, but why are you so brutal towards your son?', Rogers asked, walking next to the gym-leader.

'He's not that bad. I see potential, but without a kick in the arse, he would give up on it. I hope, one day, when his mother and I will be gone, there'll be a person kicking his arse furthermore. He wouldn't survive otherwise...', Stark explained, sounding a little bit worried.

'I apologize, I didn't want to barge in your private stuff..', Steve replied, 'I guess, I won't stay for too long. Even so I have to defeat some gym-leaders, I've heard.'

Howard laughed shortly and nodded. Later on Steve entered a car, Howard offered to him, with a driver, who should bring him north to the next town: Pewter City. Arriving there and entering the Pokémon-centre to take a rest until the next day, Peggy passed Steve's way. Immediately both of them stopped. Confused she asked:

'You are really stalking me, aren't you?'

'Hello', Steve responded smiling.

'Couldn't make it, so you decided to try another leader? Better for your motivation', she said annoyed and turned away.

Steve still didn't get her problem. What has he done to her, so she reacted this way? Women weren't his special subject. He wondered, if there were books to learn things about women, too, like those he has read about Pokémon. Then he watched her stroking her Bulbasaur gently.

'You must be a good trainer', he said, which was why she turned to him, 'Bulbasaur seems to be really glad to have you.'

Surprisingly the girl smiled. Her Pokémon slid beneath the bench, she was sitting on, and hid behind her legs.

'But it's still a little bit shy...But every Pokémon is different, so...Human-beings and Pokémon can have a lot in common, you know. But most of them just adapt at their trainers' characters.'

'Mmh...My Wartortle is headstrong, should this tell me anything?'

She laughed.

'Well, think about it.'

Steve smiled in response to her reaction and sat down next to her.

'By the way, I heard you read lot...', she suddenly meant.

'Where do people get their information from? Stark knew my name and...other things.'

'People try to get to know everything about new trainers immediately, because it could be worth it. Later they know, if the trainers are of concern for their fights in the leagues and stuff, you know. My point is: Have you heard about Saffron City?'

Wondering Steve looked at her and shook his head slowly. Peggy sighed and called back her Bulbasaur.

'Rumour has it, that there is an organisation, which carries out experiments on Pokémon and humans. It is said, they created a medicine to make stronger their physical and mental powers. Local residents say the found dead Pokémon just had been ill and the humans, who disappeared, moved away because they didn't want their remaining Pokémon to get ill, too. But I don't believe that. I think this organisation, which it called HYDRA, blackmail them to say so...'

'They're killing them with their tests? They can't do that, can they?', Steve sounded shocked.

'I'll go to find out, if these rumours are true. Saffron City is my next mark.'

As Steve hated injustice and crime, he asked Peggy, if he was allowed to come with her. Surprisingly again she seemed to be glad about it.

_**Chapter 3:**_

_**First encounter**_

On their way to Saffron City, which took just some days, both of them trained their Pokémon hardly, to be ready for this organisation. They met many pretty good trainers and a variety of different Pokémon. When they finally arrived at Saffron City, Steve gazed the huge city. Without any detour, Peggy headed to the biggest building in the city. The sign before it said 'Silph Co.'. Whereas Steve took a short look at all the houses and shopping centres, the girl entered Silph Co.. Slowly the young trainer followed her. They looked around and detected machines in the lobby. The descriptions said they have been made for Pokémon to reinforce their powers.

'What's this? A modification for Pokémon?', Steve asked, while he watched visitors reading the signs and discussing about the machines with the employees of Silph Co..

Wordless Peggy took Steve's hand and pulled him to the elevator quickly, so nobody recognized them.

'Let's see...', she said and pushed a button, that had the signature 'Laboratory' on it.

Leaving the elevator Peggy ordered Steve to stick to the wall, so the employees wouldn't detect them too early. After sneaking around for a while, they stopped at a long window belonging to a laboratory-room. On the treatment facility there was a Rattata strapped down, struggling, yelling, when one of the employees came to it with a shot in his hand.

'We must do anything!', Steve whispered distraught.

'Any good idea?', Peggy whispered back, observing the happening.

'Yea, any good idea?', a male voice suddenly asked from behind.

Both of them turned around quickly and looked into the mad faces of three Parasects, standing in front of three humans covering their faces with black, creepy helmets.

'Stun Spore', one of the humans said.

The Parasects followed the order, Steve and Peggy suddenly noticed they couldn't move anymore, after the green dust has lay down on their bodies. Also their eyes were affected by the stunning spores, so Steve could hardly recognize, what was going on. They transported them to a treatment room each. Everything happened so fast, Steve didn't even really know, where he was, how he got there and what was...What was happening with his Pokémon!? He looked to the side and saw them strapped down just like the Rattata.

'Don't worry, this is going to hurt, but you will faint by the pain anyway', he heard somebody say.

Then he looked down, because he felt pain in his arms. Syringes entered his arms, pumped in a liquid. The trainer started to feel burning. His arms swelled quickly, Steve felt the liquid running down through his whole body. As he has been told, he passed out...

For a long time everything was dark. Steve couldn't stop thinking about his Pokèmon. And what did happen to Peggy? When he opened his eyes, he found himself in his own bedroom. Has it been a dream? On his little bedside cabinet, there was a Pokéball. Steve started smiling, being sure this must be Wartortle. Slowly he stood up and stretched himself. Then he noticed his room struck to be smaller, than it has been before. He took the Pokéball and left the room. Looking up to take a look at the corridor, Steve saw this wasn't his home. Cold walls of steel appeared before him. Suddenly Two persons turned the corner. The red-haired woman shouted:

'Calm down, you are okay!'

Panicking Steve threw his Pokéball and called:

'Go, Wartortle!'

A Growlithe appeared. Shocked Steve slouched his shoulders and stared at the Pokémon.

'I told you to calm down...'

'What's going on here!? Who are you!?'

'You are safe now, calm down!', the man responded, 'You've slept for about twenty years. Our boss found you at Silph Co., when our organisation got HYDRA busted.'

'Your organisation?', Steve said actually to himself, 'Where am I!?'

'This is Fuchsia City and you really need to calm down, my friend', a man in a long, black coat and an eye patch over his left eye, who turned the corner, said, 'You are at the main station of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Our business is about protecting people and their Pokèmon, so stop shouting, please. Nobody up here is going to hurt you. I am Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D.. And these are Agent Natasha Romanoff and Agent Barton.'

Unwillingly Steve tried to calm down. Fury lead him to a conference-room. Steve heard him telling about the injection HYRDA drenched to his body, whereupon the young man looked down to his now taller and stronger body.

'It didn't immortalise you, but at least your ageing goes on very slowly.'

Absently Steve stared out of the window.

'As one of their victims, but the only one who survived, we hoped you could tell us anything about HYDRA. Mister Rogers, we really could need your help. Did they tell you anything about their plans? About the contents of the injection?'

Steve looked up to the man standing next to him and answered:

'They have blown it into my veins and I lapsed into a coma. That's everything I know. Oh, and they could have killed my Pokémon and a friend of mine...'

'Reason enough to proceed against them, isn't it?', the director smirked.

'I infer from your statements, that they still exist.'

Fury nodded and sat down.

'Unfortunately, yes. S.H.I.E.L.D. specialized in fighting against their Pokémon-types. This is why we gave this Growlithe to you. Most of HYDRA's adherents use-'

'Parasects, yea. I met them...'

'I would suggest, while I'm caring about some things belonging to our business, Agent Romanoff should take you around. She's waiting outside...'

Without a word Steve left the room and sauntered through the corridor. Natasha followed him and shouted:

'Hey! Wait for me!'

In the backyard Steve sat on a bench and watched several agents training their Growlithes.

'They really appeal to you, don't they?'

'Well...', Natasha answered and took a seat next to him, 'Growlithes are the best weapon against HYDRA's Parasects. Additionally they are strong, brave and proud. That's at least why I like them. I called mine Black Widow, because it's smaller than the others, but its attacks are pretty dangerous. Barton over there called his one Hawkeye', she pointed at the young man, Steve has met before in the corridor, 'Because it has got the talent to have a presentiment long before the others can notice anything. Yours belonged to an agent...who has been killed in a severe fight...Coulson called it Captain, because the other Growlithes followed its movements in every fight.'

'Captain...Huh...', he answered still absently.

_**Chapter 4:**_

_**Get your team together!**_

Director Fury arranged some days for Steve to familiarized to his new Pokémon and the situation, until he ordered him, Natasha and Clint to his office. When they came in, they saw a blond man sitting on a chair, an Eevee on his laps, which he stroked with care.

'Yesterday, Mister Rogers, I heard you saying the world has become darker in your eyes', Fury said, when the three persons sat down, too, 'I guess you are ready now to start your operation: the process against HYDRA. The man, you can see here, is called Thor. He came from far away to help us. He belongs to people, who also want HYDRA to be taken down, because he's caring especially about the Pokémon.'

Steve scrutinized Thor's muscularity, then his small, cute Eevee. The man grinned, when Eevee sneezed quietly.

'Well?', Steve then said and looked at Fury, waiting for further orders.

'I tell you it hasn't become darker. Only some lights had gone out. So we are going to build up a team, that will make this world brighter again.'

'And Thor is one of these lights?', Clint meant and grinned at the powerful man.

'Well spotted, Hawkeye', Fury answered, smiling to himself, 'The next light you will have to collect and put into your team, is living in Viridian City.'

Interested Steve raised his head.

'Stark?', Natasha added.

'Stark', Fury repeated.

'Stark!', Steve shouted and jumped up, 'Let's go!'

He couldn't wait to meet at least one of the people, he once has known, again.

'Calm down, son. Here's the matter: He's one of the strongest trainer we know, but I guess it won't be easy to convince him. He's a little bit obstinate.'

'I can handle this', Steve meant and left the room.

Thor looked at Natasha and Clint, who followed Steve slowly. Together they entered a jet of S.H.I.E.L.D, that would bring them to Viridian City. Excited Eevee jumped through the jet during the flight, and tried to look out.

'Why don't you carry it in a Pokéball?', Steve wondered and looked at its trainer.

Thor leaned back and answered:

'Aside from the fact that it's a wild and free Pokémon, I wouldn't hold it captive in one of these balls.'

'You are weird...', Steve gave as response.

'That's rich, coming from you', the man laughed and called Eevee to him.

A few hours later they arrived at Viridian City. The jet landed on the landing strip next to the gym. Immediately Steve ran out and shouted:

'I'm going to fight against him, wait for me if you want!'

'Uh...', Clint meant, 'Steve, I think, you shouldn't!'

Clueless the three looked at each other and ran after Steve again. In the lobby of the by this time even greater gym, a red-haired lady welcomed them friendly.

'Can I help you?', she asked and smiled at them.

'I'd like to fight against the gym-leader!', Steve said excited.

'Mister Stark is already f-', she started, but then they heard a loud noise coming from the door, which lead to the battle field, 'ithing, okay he seems to be ready.'

_**Chapter 5:**_

_**Iron Man**_

Then she escorted them to the battlefield. She helped the other trainer to get on his feet again and brought him out. After she returned, she ordered Steve to enter a platform in front of him. On the other side another platform could be located. A man came in on the other side of the hall and stepped on the other platform.

'The challenger Steve Rogers is going to fight against gym-leader Anthony Stark!'

'Anthony?', Steve asked and took a more particular sight, 'His son? Well, then it's going to be even easier...'

'You remember, you only have one Pokémon, right?', Natasha asked.

'Trust me, this is going to be easy!', Steve answered confidently and grinned.

'Yea, you might have missed something...', Clint said, when suddenly the platforms booted up.

'Rogers...Rogers...', the leader whispered to himself, 'Choose!', he then shouted.

'Get ready for...GROWLITHE!'

'Oh dear...His only advantage is, that Coulson has trained Captain before...', Clint added, whereupon Natasha nodded.

Thor observed the event quietly.

'Not even brushed pelage...Poor Pokémon', Stark meant and threw one of his Pokéballs.

Wondering Steve stared at the light coming out from the ball. Then all of them scrutinized a huge, black Charizard.

'I've heard about it! But I didn't want to believe!', Clint shouted.

'What the fuck is that...', Steve responded.

'It's a shiny Charizard, Steve! A really rarely Pokémon! Wow, Tasha...Look at it's flame.'

Natasha nodded smiling, when she saw the extraordinary huge flame at Charizard's tail tip.

'Ready or not, here comes your doom!', Tony suddenly shouted, whereat Charizard raised its head and took a deep breath.

Steve was too confused about Charizard acting without an attack-order, so that he ordered Growlithe to eschew the enormous blast of fire almost too lately.

'That the hell?!', Steve screamed and stared at Tony, who put his hands into his pockets and watched Growlithe landing on its paws with ease.

'Oh my...', Clint said, but couldn't finish his sentence, because he was stunned by the power he felt coming from Charizard's aura.

A deafening roar came from Charizard, as it spread out its wings. Growlithe on the other hand cowered a bit and started growling.

'I haven't got that much time, so...Charizard, would you...', Steve's enemy said, whereupon Charizard beat its wings and flew over to Growlithe, staying close to the ground. Quickly it grabbed Growlithe, flew up, turned for a few times, then it headed to the ground again and smashed Growlithe onto it. After that Charizard flew up a bit, moved back and landed on its feet, started to roar again. The platforms moved down again and Tony walked over to the red-haired girl, whereas Steve stared at his defeated Growlithe.

'After the interview...You and me having a candle-light dinner?'

Shamefaced she smiled and looked down for a short moment. Suddenly Charizard's face became darker and it spread out a ray of fire towards its trainer, who jumped away quickly, but shocked. While Steve called Growlithe back and turned his head to the Pokémon, the girl and the leader, he saw Tony nagging about Charizard's behaviour. Just in this moment, it came to his mind, that this was the boy, he has gotten to know before. As he tried to call it back, Tony's Charizard flew up and landed on the wide windowsill, lay down and closed its eyes.

'I just don't believe it...What is your fucking problem!?'

The young woman stepped between Tony and Charizard's line of fire, when it looked at the leader angrily. After noticing, it wouldn't just hit Tony with its flames, but also the girl, it snorted loudly and closed its eyes again.

'Anything wrong?', Tony asked, when he recognized Steve stared at his Pokéball and the others stood there, keeping silence, 'I defeated you, you are allowed to leave. Bye bye.'

'Actually, Mister Stark', Barton said and wobbled excited towards him, 'We need to talk to you.'

'Yuck. Get that greasy grin from your face', the leader answered and turned his back towards the agent.

'Could you be friendly, Mr. Stark?', the woman asked and looked at him uncomprehendingly.

'I apologize, Pepper, but I am a busy man.'

'Tony, you're not going to sit in your garden, having several drinks, now. I'm beggi-'

'You are begging me?', he asked and turned to the others again, 'Well, if that works, then I'm begging you to spend the night with-', Charizard growled without looking at him, but Tony looked up carefully, 'me to uh...uh...'

'I'll have that candle-light dinner, if you are going to be nice to your guests', she suggested, before the trainer could say anything wrong again.

Anthony grinned and left the battlefield. Thereupon Pepper lead the agents, Thor and Steve to Tony's mansion. As Steve looked around, he remembered the day he came to the mansion the first time, but now at least the furniture was exchanged. While they waited for Stark, they sat in the living-room. Steve looked out of the high windows into the garden: Empty.

'Where are all of Howard's Pokémon now?', he wondered, then Tony left the bathroom and came to them.

A Wigglytuff toddled before him and tried hardly not to contact him in any way. Bizarrely Anthony didn't even look at his first Pokémon, which just has evolved. But it was still his first Pokémon, wasn't it? Hasn't he loved it once? And now he didn't deign to look at it? Steve couldn't understand it. He himself would be so glad, if he had the chance to see his first Pokémon again...

Stark sat down on his armchair and looked at the visitors. Suddenly Wigglytuff stumbled over its down feet and fell towards Pepper, who rescued it and smiled lovingly. By contrast Wigglytuff's owner shook his head shortly, then he asked:

'So?'

After Natasha introduces herself and the others to Tony, she started explaining. She told him about HYDRA and their experiments, she told him about S.H.I.E.L.D. and their strategy against it, she wanted to tell him about the modification they made referring to Steve, but this suddenly mentioned:

'Actually I wanted to see your father.'

The host straightened his back and leaned to the backrest, while he lay his head skew and waited interested for an addition. Wigglytuff tried to hide behind Pepper's chair. She stroked over its head tenderly.

'Ah!', he suddenly shouted, 'It's occurring to me. You've been the trainer, that's couldn't defeat my father, but tried it again. But lost. The one he has sent away, because he has wanted to get rid of this annoying trainer, wasting his time.'

'Tss..Just like his son did', Steve answered disgustedly.

'What did you just say?', Tony asked and stood up.

'Just like his son did...Wasting his time, you know', Steve replied coldly.

'Once more, c'mon, once more!', the standing man said and stepped from one foot to the other nervously.

Suddenly Charizard landed in the garden and stamped towards the terrace door wrathfully. It's growling filled the air with a strained atmosphere. Before it could do damage, Tony called it back to its Pokéball and left the room, smashing the door very loudly.

'You shouldn't talk about his father, when he's around...', Pepper advised and continued stroking Wigglytuff's head.

'I'm sorry, Ma'am, but he's an asshole. He doesn't even look at the Pokémon his father offered him first of all and-'

'First of all he caught it himself. Second Howard Stark is dead, so I expect you to demonstrate more respect for Anthony. I guess you should go now...'

'Dead? I didn't kno-'

'Yea, I'd hope so to excuse your behaviour to myself. Please go now...', she interrupted the young trainer.

Later they sat silently at a table in the Pokémon-centre and had a meal. Thor, Natasha and Clint dared to look at Steve shortly for a few times, until he meant:

'I know, I am sorry, I did not know it...'

Then Thor took a brochure from the table and read loudly:

'Iron Man. The trainer of steel. What does this mean?'

'Stark has got a very special way to train his Pokémon', Clint answered and took another brochure.

'Which way?', Thor asked and looked at Natasha and Clint.

'Well, we could have had a look, if Mister-I-am-going-to-be-unfriendly-and-mean-to-you didn't-'

'I am sorryyyyyyy', Steve interrupted, stood up and left the centre.

Next to him there was a man using the out-door-telephone.

'I apologize, doctor, but Mister Stark's Pokémon hasn't hatched, yet. The man shouldn't be so impatient', he heard a woman on a screen of the telephones say.

'I am not going to tell him, he was impatient...', the man standing in front of it replied.

He looked pretty smart, Steve thought. With his scrub and the glasses and everything. After the man put back, Rogers shouted:

'Excuse me?'

The man walked over slowly, after he had checked on the surroundings to be sure, Steve really meant him.

'I heard you talking about Tony Stark...Can you tell me, why he is called Iron Man?'

'Well Mister...'

'I'm Steve Rogers...Just Steve.'

'Nice to meet you. I'm Bruce. Well, Steve...You seem to be new, so I just tell you...Anthony Stark is a genius. He optimized his training by the help of machine parts.'

'Machines!?', Steve shouted and widened his eyes.

'A technology only he can use, because he is the only one, who know how to construct it', the stranger added, 'You look like an interested trainer. If you want to, I could lead you to his training-hall, where you can take a look.'

Just some minutes later the group followed Bruce to Stark's training-hall. He sat down on a chair in the control-room, which was departed from the hall by a glass panel.

'Your vital values look good. Are you ready?', Bruce spoke into the microphone in front of him, looking through the glass panel to Tony, who stood in the middle of the hall and nodded.

He called Charizard, which roared loudly, when it appeared. Suddenly some machines came out from the sides and put on some kind of armour over the Pokémon. Against his will Steve had to think about Silph Co., when he saw this.

'Thirty percent terrestrial-power', Bruce told him and pushed a button.

Tony stepped back and watched rock fragments falling down on Chardizard, that lifted his arms with an enormous effort.

'What's wrong?', Thor asked.

'Nothing's wrong. The armoury just works against Charizard's movements', the doctor explained.

'What the hell?', Natasha meant and watched Charizard destroying the fragments ponderously.

'The Pokémon is okay. It just makes it easier for it to learn how to control its own power. Additionally it trains Charizard's body, so...There's nothing bad about it actually.'

Steve noticed Charizard's intense breathing, when the fragments finally all were fallen down and Bruce meant:

'Forty percent water-power, watch out.'

Then he pushed another button, whereupon Charizard planted itself in front of Tony and protected him from the water cannons ahead of them.

'Are you insane!?', Steve shouted, 'Do you want to kill it!?'

'Wow, I told you to come along to have a look...Not to criticize our work', the controller replied.

Desperate Steve turned to the panel again and watched Charizard waving its wings around its trainer, absorbing the water-shots from him. Just some minutes later Stark yelled:

'ENOUGH!'

In no time Bruce pushed another button to stop the cannons. Then the gym-leader staggered towards the control-room and opened the door rapidly. The visitors recognized Tony's wet shirt.

'What are these idiots doing here?', he asked and passed them, checked on the values on the screens, 'Any improvement, yet?'

'Don't see any, but after the comparison we can be sure. The computer is working.'

'Fine', Stark added and turned to the others again, 'I asked something, I remember.'

'I'd like to apologize, Anthony, I-', Steve started.

'Yea? Well', Tony replied and turned away.

'Mister Stark?', Natasha asked reluctantly, whereupon Stark paid attention to her, 'I've seen Charizard protected you, so why is your shirt so wet?'

'You are embarrassing, Tasha...', Clint mentioned.

'Look, who's talking', she answered with an obscure expression on her face.

'Well, it's pretty easy: This isn't water. At least not only. It's my sweat, to be straight', Tony then explained and undressed his upper body.

Clint turned his head away, but Steve, Thor and Natasha stared at the blue glowing circle on Stark's chest.

'That's the little secret', Bruce started, 'It allows a stronger connection to his Pokémon, so he needn't make orders. They can feel it from the arc-reactor in his chest, collecting information about his body-language and translating this, so to speak...'

'Hush, Dr. Banner...They don't need to know everything', Tony laughed and looked at Natasha again, 'Unfortunately it makes me feel my Pokémon's pain, too...Well, I can't really say unfortunately, because with the help of this thing', he clicked his fingertip against the circle, 'I know better, where their limits within fighting are...'

After he has dried his hair and his upper body, he dressed up a new shirt and meant:

'Let's change the subject', he turned to Natasha once more, 'Miss Potts cancelled your candle-light dinner today, but maybe...You'd be interested?'

Questioning Charizard stretched his head into the room and watched Natasha looking down, starting to giggle. In response Charizard snorted, by what a spark flew towards Tony's trouser leg, which suddenly caught fire.

'WAAAH!', he shouted and slapped on the burning trouser with the wet shirt, he has undressed before.

'I'm sorry, but I have to negate. But I must confess, your Charizard is such a gorgeous one', Natasha laughed and walked over to the Pokèmon.

When she fondled it's chin, Charizard suddenly made a weird noise. Slowly Tony turned around and asked:

'Did you just purr?'

Charizard put on an obscure face and growled again, whereupon Tony stepped back and added:

'I didn't say anything. It's okay. No matter to burn my trousers down.'

'Is this a wild Pokémon?', Thor asked, 'Because it doesn't seem to obey.'

Stark clicked his tongue.

'No, it isn't. It has been the second Pokémon I got, but...Well, I'm not able to break it completely. But I'm fine with that, when it comes to the point, it's the best companion, you could imagine.'

After a while of checking up the screens again, Tony said:

'Bruce, please take off the armoury-parts from Charizard's body and send me the analysis. Tomorrow we'll test the next one.'

As he left the room, the others followed him and Clint shouted:

'Tomorrow we will be on our way to care about the HYDRA-problem!'

'Well, that's good for you.'

'No, we need you to come along!'

'This is out of my business. I can't help, I'm sorry. I've got nothing to do with it', Stark mentioned and headed to the exit.

'Your father worked on the substance, HYDRA is using, too. So this is not out of your business...', Natasha explained reluctantly.

For a short moment Stark stopped and yelled:

'LISTEN! Even if that's true, it's still not MY business. If my father worked on it, what have I got to do with it?'

The door closed behind him.

'What demons is he fighting against?', Thor asked confused about his reaction.

'I guess, we'll have to find out..', Steve added and followed Stark without attracting attention.

_**Chapter 6:**_

_**Anthony Stark's demons**_

As they returned to the mansion, Pepper stood in the door and said:

'I'll see you tomorrow then, Mister Stark. Have a good night.'  
She smiled kindly, when Tony looked up to her, standing in front of the front-door's stairs.

'Oh, I thought, you'd be joking. You are really leaving?', he asked with a touch of disappointment in his voice.

'Yea, I'm s-', she started, then suddenly some wisps of her hair flew up.

Steve, Natasha, Thor and Clint opened their mouths, being shocked, whereas Tony started laughing. After that the wisps sculpted a ribbon on top of her head.

'Get it...away...', she meant and closed her eyes disgusted.

'It looks good on you.'

'Tony, get it...away...', she repeated, still squinnying.

Suddenly a creepy snigger resounded. A Haunter appeared over her, obviously the snigger came from the Pokémon. When Pepper became pallidly, Haunter flew over to its trainer gingerly. The Pokémon transformed into a more transparent shape and slid in Tony's head. As the rich gym-leader turned around to the others, a long tongue ranged from his closed mouth. Clint jumped back a bit.

'This is so...awful', Pepper added, before she stepped down from the stairs and headed to her car.

'Oh c'mon, Pepper! He likes you...', Tony shouted, whereupon Haunter came out of Tony's head again and gazed after the young woman.

After she has done her hair and started the motor, Haunter appeared behind her. Pepper froze and stared into the rear-view mirror. Then Haunter hovered through her, assumed a opaque shape and turned the switch for the dipped beam, showing her it cared about a safe way home for her. She smiled relucantly, whereupon Haunter licked over her whole face and returned to Tony, who threw up his hands in horror first, then waved her goodbye withdrawn, because of her miffed expression. The moment after she has driven away, Steve took out his Pokédex and held it towards Haunter. But the device's answer was:

'Not identifiable Pokémon.'

Tony walked over to them, ripped the device from Steve's hand and entered the house.

'Hey! You can't just take it!', he shouted and saw Stark turning a corner inside the mansion.

Clueless Rogers looked at the still opened door and then to his fellows. He shrugged his shoulders and moved forward, entered the house carefully.

'Stark?', Thor asked and looked around.

After a few minutes the gym-leader returned and gave Steve the Pokédex back. He pointed at Haunter, before Steve could ask, what he has done with the device. So Rogers held it towards Haunter again:  
'Haunter is a Pokémon from type ghost and poison. Its favourite occupation is to scare others. Because of its ability to slip through block walls, it is said to be from another dimension.'

The Pokémon laughed and disappeared behind a wall. Tony let himself fall down on the couch and took a nip from the glass he has been carrying.

'Where do you get all those Pokémon?', Barton asked and took a seat next to him.

'It was a coincidence to find it. When I visited my father's...When I've been on the cemetery at a time I had been younger, it appeared next to my mother and me. He made fun of us, as her eyes started filling with tears. At first this has made me angry, but when Haunter realized, he stopped doing that. He followed us home instead and helped my mother out and made me laugh by playing tricks on the neighbours' children...So one day I've asked him to stay and he just jumped into my Pokéball.'

'What about the shiny Charizard?', Clint added.

'Charizard? Oh, well...My father gave it to me as a birthday-present. I was...five I think...Don't really remember. When I was lying in my bed right after the...the funeral, holding the egg in my arms, praying anything would change...Charmander came into the world.'

'Your father's death made you to a real trainer?', Steve asked, whereon Natasha smacked one of her hands against her forehead.

Silently Stark emptied the glass and refilled it. Disinterested he answered:

'Yap', and continued drinking.

The group's leader scrutinized the pale brown colour of the drink and suggested then:

'I think, it would be better for us to leave now...'

He turned around and walked to the door, when suddenly Tony jumped up, what made Clint jump up, too, and shouted:

'You don't need to go!'

Wondering the others took a look at Stark.

'I mean...You are all interested in Pokémon, aren't you? Tomorrow there will be some kind of...garden party here. People like to come to Viridian City to see my Pokémon and they show me their as well. Usually Pepper, Bruce and I are caring about the appearance of my Pokémon, but if you'd like to, you could stay and...help us.'

'I don't know, if that's a good idea', Steve said and looked at Tony's glass once more, 'Our assignment was to take you from here to-'

Thor changed glances between both, until he noticed something: Were the others so small-minded, so they couldn't realize the leader obviously didn't want to be alone just in that moment? So he interrupted Steve:

'I'll stay. I'd like to take a look at this garden party.'

'Yea, would be nice. What's your problem, Steve? Fury didn't tell us when to return anyway', Natasha approved, 'And Clint is into this anyhow, too.'

The next day, Steve still couldn't believe nobody concentrated on the proper mission, the group helped Stark, Pepper and Dr. Banner to prepare the outdoor area. When he came to the terrace, a huge variation of Pokémon already ran through the garden, playing, fighting each other for training or munching.

'That's how I got this place to know...', he talked to himself, when he walked over to the buffet and placed a tablet glasses on it.

Thor's Eevee ran after a Flareon and tried to match its speed.

'This is a well-trained one, Thor', Stark called, when he saw the two passing.

'It's not trained. It's the way it is', Thor answered and combed Ponyta gently.

But Tony already didn't listen anymore. Instead he sneaked around Pepper and whispered in her ear several times. However she always turned around to have him in front of her and looked to the ground, smiling but avoiding tangency.

Observing them Steve shook his head and meant:

'What is he doing? Doesn't he see, this woman doesn't like him to be around? At least so close...'

Then Natasha turned her head, looked at them and replied:

'Oh, she likes it.'

Steve looked at the agent confused.

'You don't know much about women, do you?', she laughed in return, 'Believe me, she likes it.'

While Clint was jumping around a Kangaskhan and its child, which he hasn't seen before, because it was a rarely Pokémon, a flock of Tauros trotted over the wide grassland in Stark's garden. Clint started screaming. Stark laughed, when all of them turned to the agent and said:

'You are impressed of that? Wait for this!'

He threw a Pokéball and a Aerodactyl appeared.

'Aerodactyl is a Pokémon from type Rock and Flying. It was regenerated from a dinosaur's genetic matter that was found in amber. It flies with high-pitched cries', Steve's Pokédex explained, when he held it towards the Pokémon, which uttered a loud cry just in that moment and flew up, landed on the mansion's roof.

Later in the evening the garden filled with many visitors. Some young trainers stood in a queue and thought about, which Pokémon they would choose for fighting against some of Tony's Pokémon. Also Clint didn't want to miss this chance. He went to Tony and shouted:

'I'm challenging you!'

Stark looked annoyed, when he looked at the agent, who interrupted him from talking to Pepper. Clint just grinned and waited for an answer, which he got then:

'Choose your Pokémon wisely. I'm so cocksure of myself, that I permit you to choose two Pokémon against one of mine.'

While Pepper shook her head because of Tony's imposing behaviour in front of the guests, Barton thought about it for a moment, then he threw Pokèballs and shouted:

'Let's do this, Pidgeotto and Hawkeye!'

Tony smirked and called:

'Electabuzz, would you be so nice to put him into his place?'

The heavy Pokémon trudged to its trainer and scrutinized Pidgeotto and Growlithe. Feeling confident Tony put his hands into his pockets and watched the situation.

'Pidgeotto, use-'

'Go', Stark spoke to his Pokémon, before Clint could finish.

The Electric-Pokémon used Thundershock and knocked Pidgeotto out, before it could even prepare for the attack. Thor laughed, when Clint widened his eyes and stared at his defeated Pokémon. Eletabuzz looked at Growlithe next. After Clint's concentration came back to his mind, he shouted:

'Hawkeye, use Ember!'

The enemy just jumped back and looked at the little flame landing before his feet. Stark grinned again, whereupon Electabuzz ran towards Growlithe, waved back one arm and collected electricity in it.'

'Eschew with Agility!'

Growlithe stepped back and used Agility, creating replications of itself.

'Already seen this from one of you...', Tony whispered and added more loudly:

'Thundershock all over the field. You should hit it then.'

Electabuzz followed the orders. Stark was proved right, but the attack just threw Growlithe back and the replications disappeared. The Pokémon started roaring, whereupon Electabuzz and Stark threw their heads back a bit and stared at the Fire-Pokémon.

'Don't let it irritate you! Make an end!', Tony suddenly shouted.

The agent smiled, when he noticed he unsettled Stark and shook his confidence about winning the fight. Before Electabuzz reacted, Growlithe ran towards it. Stark's Pokémon concentrated on its enemy, but then Growlithe suddenly replicated itself again.

'BITE!', Clint screamed, when it was close enough.

When the replications contacted Electabuzz, they disappeared, but the real Pokémon bit on to Electabuzz arm and tore at it.

'No!', Stark shouted back and ordered to use Thundershock again.

But Growlithe released then and jumped back, followed Clint's order and used Ember right into Electabuzz's face. Stunned the guests, Steve and Tony stared at the defeated Electabuzz. Shortly Stark put his hand on his chest and called the Pokémon back to its Pokéball. Then he looked at Clint and said:

'At least there's one good trainer among you. Nice moves, I didn't expect that...'

When Tony grinned lightly, Clint turned to his friends. His face sparkled of pride. He held the sign of victory, he has formed with his hand, towards them, then he praised Growlithe for the good fight. While Stark walked over to Thor, Natasha and Clint to congratulate the winner, Steve went to Pepper.

'Why are you smiling? Your boyfriend just lost.'

'Huh?', Pepper replied to Rogers and looked up to his face, 'Boyfriend? He isn't my boyfriend. I'm just working for him.'

Steve smirked and nodded overstated. As Stark wanted to come back, to continue his conversation with her, he spotted Pepper looking down, shyly smiling, Steve on the other hand standing close to her, also smiling. Angered he ran over and stepped between them.

'So where have we stopped?', he asked.

'Oh, I was just talking to-'

'Pepper, would you be so nice to get us something to drink?'

'If you'd like to drink, then move yourself and get something', she replied annoyed, 'That's actually a good idea, why don't you get something for me and Steve and yourself?'

With these words she moved a bit forward to be able to look at Rogers again. Her steady smile made Tony clench his fists. He stepped between them again and took a breath to say something, but suddenly Steve asked:

'What's your problem?', and pushed him away gently.

Tony felt how Steve's action made his hair stand on end. So he turned to the trainer and shouted:

'What is YOUR problem!? I'd like to talk to Miss Potts, so could you please-'

Before Tony finished is sentence, Pepper took him aside, whispered anything with a furious expression on her face, then she returned to Steve and smiled at him. Hurt Stark gazed after her.

'But you are mine...', he said to himself and entered the mansion.

'What did you say to him?', Steve asked, recognizing from the corner of his eye, that Tony went inside.

'Don't worry about that. He's egocentric, but he can handle this', she answered, still smiling.

Thor came to a little lake, where some children played with a Gyarados. Shocked he asked:

'Isn't it dangerous?'

'Nah!', Bruce replied, 'It's the nicest Pokémon...unless you don't make it angry.'

The man laughed, when he saw Eevee sliding from the back of Gyarados down into he water.

'Is it yours?'

The doctor nodded and threw Pokébar into the Pokémon's mouth.

'What was that?', Barton asked, when he came to them.

'Pokébar', Bruce replied and showed one to him and Thor, 'We developed this in Stark's laboratory. It's for the amplification of any Pokémon's advantage. Additionally it's some kind of treat, if you pick the right one for your Pokémon.'

In the evening Steve and Pepper went to the training-hall, where Tony seemed to delay.

'Does he train his Wigglytuff, yet? I mean, it has been his first Pokémon...'

Pepper stopped and meant:

'Don't speak about that, when he's around...', she continued walking, 'You know...Howard Stark had a hard disease, that killed him...Before he ended up in the sickbed, he helped his son to evolve Jigglytuff...Once then Tony wanted his father to feel better. Maria told me, he heard him screaming because of the pain, so he came to his bedroom and wanted Wigglytuff to sing a song for him, so Howard could sleep...The Pokémon followed his order and Tony and his father fell asleep...But Howard hasn't wake up...From thereon...Well...That's what his mother has told me, before she died a few weeks after I started working for Stark...'

'His mother also died? Oh, boy...'

After a few minutes of keeping quiet, Steve remarked sadly:

'We need him to come with us...'

'I know. He told me. But he also said, there were too many things, he has to care about.'

'For example? Thor mentioned he might fight against his demons, that detain him to this place...'

'Fighting against his demons is a good headword', Pepper meant and opened the door to the training-hall.


	2. Chapter 7: Fighting the demons

_**Chapter 7:**_

_**Fighting the demons**_

Steve and Pepper went to the edge of the hall. The trainer looked up to the platform, Tony stood on, sweating, breathing hardly, concentrating. As he turned his head to the other side, he was shocked: A pale apparition of Howard Stark was placed on the other platform.

'Last one...', Tony said to himself, put out his hand, whereupon Charizard landed on the battlefield.

Howard also put his hand out, whereupon a machine came out of the ground and threw a Pokéball.

'What the hell?!', Steve meant and looked at Pepper.

She leaned her back to the wall and replied:

'It's not real. It's a computer-programme for imitation. Well, at least Howard himself isn't real...'

After she has said this, an Alakazam appeared on the field. Charizard growled as loud, as it did, when Steve fought against the gym-leader. But Alakazam stayed unimpressed. Enraged from its enemy's reaction, Charizard flew up quickly and looked down. It took a deep breath and shot a huge ray of fire towards Alakazam.

'Teleport', Howard's voice meant.

So Alakazam teleported out of the firing line. By contrast Charizard made a short circle to turn around fast and looked into its enemy's eyes again. Promptly it took another breath and shot the next ray, but Alakazam just teleported out of the firing line.

'You need to concentrate!', Tony shouted.

Charizard turned his head to its trainer.

'Confusion.'

'WATCH OUT!'

The eyes of Howard's Pokémon began to shine, but then Charizard spread out sparks and beat its wings, so the sparks flew toward Alakazam, which got struck by them and lost concentration for its own attack. With ease Alakazam cast the sparks off, whereon Howard commanded:

'Psybeam.'

A colourful beam came out of Alakazam's spoons, as it held them towards Charizard and they contacted each other. Quickly Charizard moved higher and flew around the hall, which was why Alakazam destroyed the upper windows of the hall with its attack.

'Tony, stop that!', Pepper shouted angrily.

By the short squinting of his eyes, Pepper knew he heard her, but he didn't react in another way, but to make Charizard attack Alakazam. His Pokémon plummeted down, grabbed Alakazam and flew up. Then it started to fly circles again.

Howard's replication shook the head and responded to the action:

'Teleport.'

Tony on the other hand clenched his fists and shouted:

'Come down!', when Charizard looked confused on its empty paws.

'You're still a bad trainer...', he heard his father say.

Shocked he looked at the replication. Has he really just heard that? Has Bruce changed the programme? He wouldn't programme, the replication said anything like that, would he? While Anthony was busy with thinking about that, Alakazam started a new attack with Psybeam, which struck Charizard this time, before it could land. So it just fell down to the ground. The short pain of the bounce ran through Stark's body. Way before Charizard stood up again, the replication continued:

'Psychic.'

Tony widened his eyes. Alakazam's strongest attack, from which he never could escape, yet. So it was in this moment. Alakazam used its power to heave Charizard and smashed it against the wall, that was ruined after the collision.

'Challenger defeated', a computer-voice said and Howard disappeared.

Tony collapsed. He fell down on his knees and hit the ground with his fists.

'I can't beat him...I...can't...BEAT HIM!', he shouted as loud as he could.

After his shout fade away, Steve and Pepper heard a quiet moaning and crying. The platform slowly moved down, whereupon Pepper immediately walked over to her boss. She saw teardrops falling on the back of his hand.

'Wow...Bull's eye', Steve meant, when he looked at Alakazam, which was called back by the machine again.

Tenderly Pepper whispered into Tony's ear. He called back the defeated Charizard without looking up. Then the woman helped him to stand up and lead him to the control-room. She returned to Steve and just looked at him without saying anything. Just when Steve opened his mouth to speak, Thor ran into the hall and shouted:

'I'm sorry for disturbing you, but we've got a problem outside!'

Pepper sent both of them outside, then she went to Tony and asked him to come with her. When they followed Steve and Thor, Eevee's fellow lead them to Stark's garden. Between this and Stark's house all guests gathered, herded together by strange people and their Pokémon.

'Not a single one of you is meriting to own a single one of these Pokémon. We're going to hog them right now, so we can prepare them for a better life. A life that only can be lived by those, who are dignified.'

The long-haired man had a Russian accent. He looked exhausted from the inside. When Steve took a look at the other persons, who have come with him, he whispered:

'I know the symbol in their jackets...'

'HYDRA?', Thor asked, while they were still hiding.

Silently Steve nodded. Suddenly Tony passed them, confident and not giving a fuck about these strangers.

'What's this? Party-crasher?', he called, when he was getting closer to them, Where are the cameras?'

The man turned around and said:

'Iron Man! There you finally are...I am Iv-'

'I'm not giving a single fuck.'

Feeling guarded Clint plucked up courage and threw a Pokéball.

'I choose you, Hawkeye!'

Growlithe appeared in front of the crowd of people, growling at the Parasects before them. With his hand Stark gave a sign for Growlithe to calm down. He stared into his opponent's eyes, who grinned confident and obviously waited for something.

'HAIL HYDRA!', the man shouted, whereupon his escorts repeated this and their Parasects turned away from the crowd and looked at Stark.

'Ah, that muppets-organisation, that thinks it's the strongest and kill people and Pokémon, right? You are in the wrong place at the wrong time.'

'Bold from you. For a man standing in front of a horde of enemies, not being able to use his strongest Pokémon against them.'

Hearing this answer, Tony threw his head back a bit. How did they know?

'Surprised? Sweep him out of the way...', the Russian commanded, whereon the trainers sent out their Parasects to the gym-leader.

'Guys, help him out. I'm going to get Officer Rocky', Pepper ordered and sneaked of the garden.

Thor whistled loudly and walked over to Stark. The opponents observed Eevee running over to them and stopping in front of Thor. Relaxed Tony put his hands into his pockets. The HYDRA-battalion-commander scrutinized Eevee and replied:

'Are you dead certain? This is your answer?'

'Never underestimate any kind of Pokémon', Thor meant a little offended, 'A Pokémon can only be as strong as its trainer is. So watch your tongue.'

Slowly and unsettled Steve went to them and called out his Growlithe.

'Oh, two against...', the enemy said and turned around shortly, '...thirty.'

'What's the plan?', Steve whispered and looked at Tony from the corner of his eye.

But the gym-leader kept quiet. Unnoticed Haunter appeared behind the HYDRA-soldiers and chased the guests back, so they got closer to the house, nearly entered it in fact.

'What is wrong with the famous Anthony Stark? I thought you had an answer to everything. I'm disappointed, but interested: What are you going to do now? You can't win against this army', the Russian man answered, after the Parasects have finally stopped close to the three trainers.

'Obviously you've done your homework about me, but you could have done it more conscientiously. Charizard isn't my only Pokémon, you know?', Stark replied and watched Aerodactyl flying up from the house's roof, using Hyper Beam to create an abyss between the civilians and the soldiers.

'Good start of a plan', Steve mentioned.

Confused the soldiers turned around for a moment, then their leader shouted:

'Paralyse them! They won't get away!', when he looked at the crowd next to the mansion.

The Pokémon turned around once more and spread out a wave of Stun Spore to them. But then Natasha sent out one of her Pokémon and shouted:

'Whirlwind!'

The appearing Butterfree immediately started to clap the wings and hurled the spores back. Unfortunately it hadn't got an effect on the soldiers, because of the helmets they were wearing. At least the guests were save for a moment. Hawkeye jumped over the abyss and growled at its opponents again.

'Wrong place, wrong time', Stark repeated, whereupon the leader turned to him again and showed an annoyed facial expression.

Then Gyarados sidled towards them, carrying Bruce on its back. The doctor jumped down and turned to the enemies.

'Who's causing problems here?', he asked.

After he has pointed to the soldiers, Tony's body-language asked the Russian, what he was going to do next.

'Ivan Vanko won't be defeated by lousy Pokémon like yours!', the commander shouted and threw a Pokéball.

'Does it answer your question?', Tony looked at Bruce, 'It's an Ivan Vanko with his muppets-club.'

Stark fell silent, when Ivan's Charizard appeared.

'I was looking forward to fight yours, but you've wasted its power for your private problems', Vanko laughed.

'Banner?'

'Shouldn't be a problem', Bruce replied to Tony and ordered Gyarados, to accept the challenge, which moved towards Charizard.

'You lose, Stark', Ivan added and made Charizard fly up.

Gyarados raised its head and shot a strong jet of water up. With ease Charizard evaded from every single splash, going to hit it.

'Oh, it's stronger, than I've expected...', Bruce said, when suddenly one of the soldiers took out his radio device.

'Roger that!', he then shouted and threw a Pokéball, 'Weezing, Smoke Screen!'

Irritated Butterfree looked around and couldn't hear Natasha's order to use Whirlwind once again to make the smoke disappear, because the guests suddenly panicked.

'What about the Para-', Steve heard one of the soldiers asked, but Weezing's owner replied:

'Haven't got time, leave them!'

Charizard on the other hand sent some of the smoke towards Gyarados with its wings to irritate it, too. They couldn't see, what has been happening, but behind the wall of smoke Tony, Steve, Natasha, Thor and Clint heard the sound of a helicopter, whereas Bruce tried to figure out, where his opponent was at that time. After the smoke disappeared slowly, Tony looked up and shouted:

'NO!', when he saw the soldiers entering the helicopters. He knew, if he had sent out Aerodactyl, it would have destroyed the machines and maybe killed the soldiers with it inside.

Ivan grinned and took a deep breath for his next order, when suddenly some cars arrived.

'Get your hands up and call back your Pokémon!', Officer Rocky, who exited one of the cars, spoke into her megaphone.

Afraid she would shoot his Charizard, Ivan called it back and lifted his hands over his head. As she came to him and lead him to the car, he looked at Tony and repeated:

'You lose, Stark...You lose.'

Stark didn't understand and gazed after the man and the officer. Suddenly a girl ran to him, pulled hie trouser leg and screamed:

'They took our Pokémon! My Rattata! And some others!'

'Do you still think, this is not your business, Stark?', Steve asked, after he noticed Tony wouldn't give her an answer.

The man just stared at the left-behind Parasects, that looked for their trainers everywhere, while Growlithe kept them together. Then Natasha jumped over the abyss and meant:

'We'll take them into custody of S.H.I.E.L.D.'

'Don't you dare', Tony answered and walked over to them.

Slowly he squatted down before them and touched one of the Parasects gently, which first retreated, but stopped, as it felt Tony stroking its side.

'S.H.I.E.L.D isn't better than HYDRA in any case.'

'I beg your pardon?', Steve responded angrily, 'You don't want to help us and now you are pretending to help those poor, poor Pokémon, that helped our enemies?'

'Which choice did they have, Rogers?', Tony asked back and stood up again, 'I'm just not the hero-type, you want me to be. I'm just a guy sticking to his own rules. I don't pretend to be anything else, but myself. But do you know, what S.H.I.E.L.D pretends to be?', he turned to the angry trainer, 'Do you know what happens to the Parasects, when S.H.I.E.L.D gets them?'

Shortly Steve looked at Natasha and Clint, who focused on one point, to avoid looking into the others' eyes.

'Won't you tell him, Agent Romanoff?'

'Miss?', Steve added, whereupon Natasha looked at him.

'We take them to the basis, where we keep them locked up...', she answered and looked down again.

'In other words: S.H.I.E.L.D is going to cage them. No, sorry, then I'll better keep them here. Think about me, what you'd like to, I'll stick to my rules anyhow.'

With these words Tony left the crowd of people.

Bewildered Steve turned to Pepper, who has come back with the officer, and asked:

'How can he live with himself? He's really not about doing anyth-'

'He's thinking about it', Banner mentioned, while he tried to win the Parasects' trust to take them to a safe place, 'This is his home. He won't allow HYDRA to act like that.'

'So where is he going then?', Steve talked to himself, when he watched Officer Rocky arresting Vanko, after he has handed out the Pokéball, in which he called Charizard.

Wordless Potts walked into the direction, Tony has disappeared before. By and by the group, S.H.I.E.L.D has sent out, met her and Tony at the Poké-center. The nurse handed Stark the Pokéball he has given to her, he stared at it for a while.

'I'm just warning you to do it, because I guess other wise you'll regret it one day...', she said low-voiced.

Turning around Tony saw the group in front of him, a look of expectancy on their faces.

'One question, Rogers', he meant, whereupon Steve raised his head a bit, 'Why are you S.H.I.E.L.D's poodle?'

'HYDRA caught a friends of mine. And I want to know, what they did to them', Steve answered with a dark voice.

The last word Tony had to read from his lips, because Steve's voice broke off: Wartortle. Without adding anything Stark passed them and left the center again. Stressed Thor pulled back his hair and waited for another instruction from Steve. This looked out of the window and told them, they would leave the next day.

Lying in their beds in a common room, Natasha suddenly said:

'We don't even know, where they have gone...'

Just the next morning Nurse Joy stormed into the room and started shouting:

'They are back! We heard their vehicles! Surely they've come to take the rest of the Pokémon!'

Immediately Steve jumped up and pulled the others out of their beds. He changed his clothes quickly and ran out, where people already headed to their houses to hide. Coming to the market place, Steve saw just a few of HYDRA's soldiers forming in front of a shop, where some brought in residents. The new leader of the group shouted:

'STOP, Rogers!'

Shocked Steve stopped moving and watched the happenings, when his fellows turned up. Before they could take out a Pokéball, the leader meant:

'We are ready to kill all of you', and pulled out a gun, 'And all of these civilians. And their Pokémon anyway. And of course yours. And-'

A second before he could end his sentence, an enormous roaring could be heard. In that moment the girl, who begged Tony to do anything yesterday, ran out of her parents' house. She knew the sound of the roaring backwards. As she looked up, she saw that she has been right. Stark made Charizard land before the S.H.I.E.L.D members and jumped down from its back.

'Wrong time, wrong place again and not even an enjoyable way of expressing yourself. You know, starting a sentence in a story with 'and' isn't really eloquent.'

'Fine', the leader just meant, hold the gun towards Charizard and shot without any second of rethinking his decision.

The fact he didn't notice at this moment was, that Tony threw a Pokéball without hesitation. The appearing Dragonair used Safeguard to protect Charizard. The bullet just rebounded and lay on the ground steaming.

'Do you think, I'm stupid? Do you think I don't know, what HYDRA is fighting with? But well, great: Waste your bullets. Made my day', Stark laughed.

'Best trainer, I've ever seen...', Clint whispered, watching Charizard rising up against the soldiers to look even more imposing.

'I know, where your base is, so you better bring back all those Pokémon you've stolen. Other wise I'll come to kick your asses. And now get the fuck out of here', just then they heard a police-siren, 'Oh, well, seems like I'd have to go to the base anyway. You don't even own Pokémon to fight me, because you left them here, but...have fun in jail.'

The leader put down his helmet and replied:

'You think you know so much about HYDRA? What about your father, Stark? Do you know, your father worked for us once?'

Speechless Steve looked at the young man and asked:

'I beg your pardon?'

'I don't give a shit', Tony answered coldly, but his face became darker, 'This is not about my father. This is about you and your punishment coming from me, if you don't stop fucking up my home.'

'We know a lot more about you, than you might know...', the soldier added unimpressed.

The next second Officer Rocky arrived with ten other police-men, who forced the HYDRA-group to put down their weapons. A little bit distracted Tony watched them putting down their weapons. This was far to easy. He has said, he would kill all those people and now they were surrendering? Just like this? Without really being in danger? What about – Steve interrupted his thoughts:

'Your father worked for HYDRA?'

'Haven't your agents told you? Oh, I'm sorry, if this was important to you.'  
Then Rogers turned to Natasha and Clint. Barton looked back, but Natasha stared at the ground.

'Right after he found out, what HYDRA was really doing with the injections, Howard Stark quitted his work for them', Clint explained to reassure the situation.

Instead of listening to the explanation and to wait for the situation to go up in smoke, Tony was about to leave.

'STOP!', Natasha shouted and turned to him.

Rolling his eyes Stark turned around once more and looked at her.

'Anthony, Fury thinks your father died, because HYDRA murdered him. He got ill right after he has quitted is work for them, didn't he? That's the proper reason, why the director wants you to help us.'

'He wasn't murdered', Tony started, looking away, 'He...'

'Of course not in a obvious way. S.H.I.E.L.D is sure, that HYDRA used a modified injection of the ones your father has made, to cause the disease.'

Stark rubbed his eyes to get a clear mind, then he continued his way home.

'He passed away. All this is in the past.'

Stunned again they looked after Tony.

'What the fuck is just going on inside of your head!?', Steve shouted, but was ignored.

Charizard snorted, before it spread its wings and got up into the air, following the trainer.

'This can't be true. What is wrong with this freaking man? How can a single human-being be so cold and careless?', Rogers continued moaning about his behaviour.

'You got that wrong', Thor mentioned and asked, if they could concentrate on their mission now.

Shaking his head, Steve went back to the Pokémon-center to pack his bag again. While the others did that, too, the blond trainer didn't stop nagging:

'I don't get this. How can a human be so egoistic?'

'Egoistic, because he hasn't told you his father has been working for HYDRA?', Thor asked, laughing ironically.

'Egoistic, because we told him, that we need him to defeat HYDRA. Egoistic, because people from this city lost their Pokémon because of HYDRA and they're counting on him, because he's obviously', Steve looked at Clint shortly, 'the best trainer, they've ever seen and Stark doesn't give a shit on all that. He just comes, makes some hurly-burly and disappears again! He's just saying 'No, it's not my business'! Explain that to me. That's cruel to me, I'm sorry. I just-'

'Steve, calm down...', Natasha meant and stroked his back for a moment.

'Everyone has to fight his own demons. You are fighting yours and I guess, you're just disappointed, that Stark denies you his help. But condemning is not the way, you should handle this', the other blond man let Steve know and left the room, waiting outside for the others to join him.

As they came out, they saw Pepper talking to Thor, then leaving. Barton asked Thor about her intention, who answered:

'Stark would like to talk to us, before we leave Viridian City.'

'I'm not looking forward to the conversation...', Steve replied and went to the training-hall once more, where they should meet the gym-leader.

Entering the hall they found Banner and Tony talking to each other inside of the control-room. Pepper joined up with them and put a cup of coffee next to Tony, who leaned his hip against the edge of a table, onto this and asked:

'Would that be all, Mister Stark?'

'That would be all, Miss Potts. Thank you.'

Tony smiled at her gently, whereon she smiled back shortly, then turned her head. After that Stark looked at the others and meant:

'There you are. Hoped to see you one more time, before you leave...I've got something for you.'

With these words he opened a case, which lay on the table, and took out a green stone, that surrounded a yellow shining flash. Stark turned his head to Eevee and said:

'This is a thunderstone. For some kind of Pokémon those stones are important for making them evolve. So', he looked at Thor, 'If you want to take out the best of your Pokémon's power and if Eevee also wants it, you could use the stone on it. This is the only one, I've left by now. Well...Take it as a present.'

Carefully Thor accepted and scrutinized the stone.

'The other thing is...', Tony continued and took a Pokéball out of the case and held it towards Steve, 'This might be a good Pokémon for you. I never use it and it's a waste not to train it. This is a Hitmonchan. One from the Fighting-type.'

Timidly Rogers took the ball and looked at it.

'A Pokémon can only be as strong, as it trainer is. So it's almost perfect for you. It occurred to me, while I was thinking about your bod...Well, just take it.'

He took a nip from the cup and added:

'Usually I'm not sharing my stuff, but without my help, I guess you're going to die.'

'So you will come with us?', Steve asked, after he put the Pokéball onto his belt.

'What? No.'

'You've just said, we need your help, so why-'

'I'm not that...hero-type, I've already mentioned. I'm not that one, who offers himself for the issues of others.'

Steve lowered his head and whispered:

'Yes, because you're egoistic.'

'I'm sorry? I gave these things as a present to you and you tell me, I'm egoistic?'

The trainer raised his head again and replied:

'Yes, exactly.'

'Well, call me egoistic. You don't even know, what it means to be a gym-leader.'

Seeking help Steve looked at Pepper, who sighted quietly.

'This is actually a hilarious situation', Bruce brought up then, 'Here we have some kind of team, who wants to save the...world and on the other hand a man talking about the urgency of the things he has to handle. Between them the urgency of the HYDRA-problem.'

Stark looked at his friend, who went on:

'You're strong enough to defeat some of HYDRA's troops.'

'Oh, finally you've made it', Tony answered and turned to Steve, 'Finally you've got one of my friends on your side with this. With pleasure I'll emphasize it once more: I'm not going to come along. I have to deal with my own problems here!'

Suddenly they heard a strange noise coming from the side. As Steve checked it up, he saw Thor coming up from a squatting position. Eevee's body began to shine. It became bigger, the fur turned bristly and changed its colour. Then Jolteon uttered a shout and looked up to Thor, seeming to smile.

'This is...', Clint meant, 'freaking...awesome!'

Seeing this evolution has made Steve calm quickly. He looked at Stark again and meant:

'Have a nice day, Mister Stark.'

He left. Pepper sighted once more and remarked:

'It's better this way. You wouldn't have made it anyway.'

Stunned Tony stared at her. Did she just say, he was weak?

'I beg your pardon, Miss Potts?'

'Yea. You're a single-player. For some reason you think, you can do everything on your own, so everybody else should be able to, too. You can't even defeat yourself.'

'Myself? The only one I'm fighting is my father, who I can't defeat. The ONLY one!'

'Who programmed the hologram? Has it been your father?'

A cold expression came from her blue eyes and hit Tony hardly inside of his heart. Upset he left the control-room and ordered Bruce to activate the fight-animation of Alakazam. Excited Clint went out of the control-room, stepped to the side to have a better view on the field. Laughing Thor followed.

'And now show them, how to do right...', Pepper whispered, whereupon Natasha gazed after her, when she also left the room.

While the platforms moved up, Tony looked down to Pepper, who looked back unimpressed, which was why Stark felt provoked. Immediately when the machine vomited the Pokéball, Tony threw his and the well-known rivals Alakazam and Charizard stood in front of each other, growling and staring obscurely at one another.

'Well', Potts meant, 'Fight.'

When Charizard flew up and he could see the hologram again, Tony stared at 'his father's' transparent eyes. The flashing light coming through the windows, caught Steve's attention. He walked back slowly and took a look inside. Charizard spread out fire bolts, apparently uncontrolled, whereas Alakazam used Teleport to avoid the flames. In the hall Tony saw from the corner of his eye, that Pepper shook her head and looked down shortly, before she continued watching the fight. When he finally watched the fight himself with more concentration, Charizard suddenly disgorged a cloud of smoke, which covered Alakazam. Then it took a deep breath to collect power for a new attack.

'Teleport again. He's not going to make it.'

These words, coming from the hologram, tore Tony out of concentration again. Did Banner really modify the programme? Or was it himself? Unwittingly?

'What is wrong again...', Pepper talked to herself, as she saw Tony staring at the hologram.

For some reason Tony felt hurt by a computer's words. Which made him angry on the other hand. Charizard felt Stark's conditions, its flame grew and it started growling, instead of finishing the attack.

'Confusion.'

Suddenly Tony woke up from his day-dream and looked on the field. The smoke has already disappeared, Alakazam held its spoons towards Charizard. They bent. The flying Pokémon got hit hardly and crashed on the wall on Tony's left side. It fell down the last metres and didn't react.

'Bullseye.'

'SHUT THE FUCK UP!', the leader shouted, squinting his eyes because of the anger he felt, which made Charizard stand up again.

Puzzled the spectators looked up to him.

'What's going on here again?', Steve asked and stopped next to Thor, 'I feel dumb running from one place to the other and back again, because every time something is-'

'Sssh...', Thor answered.

Rogers scrutinized him and his Jolteon, staring at Charizard and Tony alternating, so he looked up, too. There he saw Stark standing on the platform, trying not to fell down himself from the damaged suffered.

'He's not going to make it this way...', Steve added, 'Stark!'

Tony looked down to him. He spotted Clint, Pepper and Thor, who stood next to him. The trainer nodded and meant:

'Charizard needs your orders! End this!'

Suddenly Tony felt backed up. He straightened his body, whereupon Charizard did the same and spread out the wings, casting off the dust from the ground on its body. Also the flame on its tail tip increased once more. Even huger, as Tony looked at his father's grin.

'CHARIZARD!', Stark shouted, 'INFERNO!'

Thor widened his eyes, when he heard that, because he knew the attack, but he didn't know people from Kanto were able to teach their Pokémon those powerful and unusual attacks. Around Charizard a flush of fire built up to a tower of fire. The heat filled the whole hall within some seconds, when the fire began to skip around the Fire-Pokémon. Charizard's eyes turned red. Barton watched Bruce staring at the measured data on the screens in front of him. Nervously he hasted around and typed over the keyboard to check up, if there was an error on the measuring instruments.

The fire-tower moved up and turned over their heads horizontally. From this point on the replication stared at the gigantic pillar, which moved towards Alakazam. Suddenly it crooked and precipitated on the Pokémon. The area around it was covered by the down-coming fire, that subsided slowly. After they had a free sight on the battlefield again, they saw Alakazam still standing.

'This is not true...', Clint whispered and raised his head to see Tony, who looked into Alakazam's eyes seriously.

Until it broke down and fell to the ground. Immediately the machine called it back to its Pokéball.

'YES!', Barton then screamed and started dancing for a short moment.

Charizard strained its throat and roared loudly, clenching the paws and spreading the wings.

'Leader defeated', the computer voice suddenly said, whereon Bruce took down his glasses.

The hologram disappeared, the platforms moved down and Stark walked over to them with an arrogant expression on his face. But Pepper just smiled at him. She bit on her lips and turned away. Suddenly the arrogant expression was blown away and was replaced by a confused one.

'You cheeky woman', Tony meant and came up to her and tried to look into her face.

She was nearly dancing herself free and held Stark back from looking at her.

'Hey, stop! What have you done?'

'I haven't done anything, Mister Stark. This was all you. Maybe a little bit backed up, but it was you', she laughed, so Thor did, amused by Tony's realisation Pepper obviously played a trick on him.

Shortly Tony turned to Steve, then back to her and followed her into the control-room.

'Backed up, huh?', he answered, nodding ironically, 'This was a-'

Abruptly Pepper turned around and lay her hand on Tony's chest. The man stammered any incomprehensible words, then she said:

'Is there now anything else you have to care about, before you leave?'

Again Tony nodded ironically and replied:

'I knew it, you-'

'Aren't you glad?'

'- played...Well, yes, but this is not the p-'

'It's annoying, when someone is always interrupting you, isn't it?'

'-oint. No, I can live with i-'

'Really? But you're losing your words often then.'

'Actually this is, because it's you', Stark meant, whereupon Banner stood up and went to the others.

'So, to come back to my first question...'

Tony tried to ignore the fact, that she ignored every single try to be nice to her and said:

'Still I've got things to do here. I'm a gym-leader. What do you think am I doing the whole day?'

'Well, I know it if there's a pretty woman with you up here.'

Speechless he stared at her for a moment, until she continued:

'They really seem to need you.'

'And who is going to care about the...', he started, 'Wait. What have I said? Of course! It's you.'

'Pardon?'

Distracted Pepper stepped backwards to the wall.

'I mean, your work with my Pokémon is almost perfect. You're always kind. You have the time, if you hadn't to care about me. You-'

'No way.'

With these words she left the room and headed to the door, but she didn't get rid of him. He followed her and said:

'This is the deal. You'll do that job and I'm going to go with them.'

Steve started to listen attentively, whereas Pepper stopped and looked at her boss again. Tony lay his head onto his right shoulder and kept quiet, patiently waiting. After that Charizard trudged to him, stopped next to him and also lay its head askew. The woman smirked and pressed her lips together to avoid laughing out loud. Then she came closer and meant:

'We have a deal.'

'Great! A goodbye kiss for your boss?', Tony asked and grinned.

Pepper grinned back, stepped before Charizard, raised herself on tiptoes and kissed Charizard gently on its nose. Tony hanged his shoulders and smiled while shaking his head.

'Are we done here?', Steve asked carefully, but always having in mind they had to do something against HYDRA.

'Apropos pretty women! Where's Tasha?'

Steve was confused. He wasn't even talking about pretty women, so why did Barton mention this?

'She took the door to the backyard...Someone called her', Bruce mentioned and walked back to the control-room.

'Stark?', Steve said.

The former gym-leader turned to him, then this asked:

'Can we go now?'

'Yea. But there's...one thing I have to do, yet.'

His voice contained a dark tone. Just some time later at the edge of town, Tony took out a Pokéball. He looked at it silently. Steve and Thor, who came along, watched him keeping silence, too. Then Stark threw the Pokéball. Alakazam appeared and looked at its trainer's son.

'I, I...I', Tony meant.

The Pokémon's expression didn't change. Uncomplaining it waited for Tony's order. The man lowered his head and brought out clumsily:

'I release you...'

Interested Alakazam raised its head to check up, if he meant, what he has just said. Tony didn't move. But the Pokémon did. A blue fog surrounded the trainer, who was forced to close his eyes. Steve and Thor stepped back, obviously they had said anything, but Tony couldn't hear them.

Suddenly he heard his father's voice inside of his head:

'He's clearly not the perfect trainer.'

As he opened his eyes, he found himself standing in their old living-room. Howard sat on the couch and talked to Tony's mother, who seemed to be angry.

'But he can become anything. I'm sure, he'll be the best Pokémon-breeder and collector, the world has ever seen. That's what he wanted to become, isn't it? Trust me, I know exactly, what I'm doing.'

He nipped from his glass and added:

'On this point he's just like me: Both of us want to own the greatest things and Pokémon. By now there's one thing, I have over him. The best thing, that ever could happen to me, is him.'

When Stark was forced to close his eyes again and opened them, when he could, he found himself back to the edge of the city, but Alakazam has disappeared.


End file.
